Compositions and methods for conversion of aldehydes to alkanes

Abstract

The invention provides the discovery that SCD2 (Susceptible to Coronatine-Deficient Pst DC3118-2) protein converts aldehydes to alkanes, thereby changing the composition and/or amount of synthesized waxes. The invention additionally provides homologs, orthologs and paralogs of SCD2 protein, and nucleotide sequences encoding these proteins. Also provided are expression vectors, transgenic cells, transgenic plants, transgenic seeds, methods for altering alkane production in cells, methods for identifying the function of a nucleotide sequence in the synthesis of plant surface wax, and methods for identifying plant tissue that has an altered surface wax composition. The invention's compositions and methods are useful for altering the amount and/or composition of wax produced by cells, including plants and seeds, that have been transformed with the invention's sequences.

We claim: 
     
       1. A transgenic cell comprising a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide with a sequence that is at least 95% identical to SEQ ID NO:2, wherein the cell converts 10% more aldehyde to alkane than a cell without the heterologous nucleic acid. 
     
     
       2. The transgenic cell of  claim 1 , wherein the cell is a eukaryotic cell. 
     
     
       3. The transgenic cell of  claim 1 , wherein the cell is a prokaryotic cell. 
     
     
       4. A transgenic plant comprising a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide with a sequence that is at least 95% identical to SEQ ID NO:2, wherein the plant converts 10% more aldehyde to an alkane than a plant that lacks the heterologous nucleic acid. 
     
     
       5. A transgenic plant seed comprising a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide with a sequence that is at least 95% identical to SEQ ID NO:2, wherein a plant grown from the seed converts 10% more aldehyde to alkane than a plant without the heterologous nucleic acid.